Improvement in fruit-pickers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

SAMUEL R. RUCKEL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT lN FRUIT-PICKERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,214, dated June 25, 1878; application filed May 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. RUCKEL, of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Gatherers;

and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, of the stationary hand.

This invention is designed as an improvement on that class of fruit-pickers having a pivoted and a stationary hand, each of which is provided with cutting-edges for severing the stems of the fruit, the pivoted hand being provided with a spring for holding it open to receive the fruit.

Objection is made to fruit-pickers as heretofore constructed, for the reason that, owing to the frail manner in which they are made, they soon break and become useless under the rough handling to which they are in many cases subjected--for instance, on becoming tangled or caught in the branches, rendering a strong pull or jerk necessary to free themand other reasons, such as inability to properly pluck fruit having large and tough stems without bruising; and in order to obviate these objections l have devised and constructed a fruit-picker, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and hereinafter fully set forth.

A represents the staff or handle of my fruitpicker; B, the stationary hand; 0, the tang, and D the pivoted or cutting hand.

The stationary hand B and tang G are cast in one piece, in order that the hand B may possess the required stifl'ness and strength.

This hand B is formed at the bottom with a semicircularpiece, E, and outwardly-curved arms F, in order to conform as near as possisible to the shape of the fruit.

The hand D is constructed with a semicircular bottom piece, G, and curved arms H, in a manner similar to that of the hand B. The hand D is secured to a circular or other suitably-shaped lever, I, pivoted at J to the bottom piece E of the stationary hand B, as shown. 7

The hands are held open, ready to receive the fruit, by a spring, K, one end of which is secured to the hand B at about point L, and the other end secured to the lever I at a point, M, back of the hand B, as shown in drawing.

The hands B and D are provided with serrated cutting-knives N, and the picker is operated by a cord or chain, 0, secured to the lever I at a point, P, back of the stationary hand B.

A suitable bag, Q, is arranged under the hands to catch the fruit as it is severed by the knives N. This bag is held by means of a hoop, R, adjustably secured to the tang 0.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- A fruit-gatherer having a lever, I', pivoted at J J, on opposite sides of the stationary hand B, and provided with an operating-hand, D, as shown, the hands being provided with cutting-knives N N and semicircular bottom pieces E G, to allow the fruit to drop into the bag Q when clipped, the hands being held open by a spring, K, extending from a point, M, on the lever to a point, L, on the hand B, and operated by a cord, 0, substantially as described. V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL R. RUGKEL. 

